Feed-water heater



Dec. 24, 1929, P, DUGELAY 1,741,124

FEED WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PAULDUGELAY.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 24, 1929. PJDUGELAY FEED WATER HEATER File N0 1927 2 Sheets-Shee m. WW an PAUL. DUGELAY.

IN ENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. .24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL D'UGELAY, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR 'IO W'OR'IHINGTON PUMP AND MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA FEED-WATER HEATER Application filed November 12, 1927. Serial No. 232,764.

5 ber is provided into which the cold water to be heated is sprayed and contacts with incoming steam, preferably exhaust steam from the steam engine for heating the water and condensing the steam.

It is an object of the present invention to provide simple and effective means for regu lating the water level in the heating or condensing chamber, said means including means for returning excess water to the cold water inlet of the heater.

The present invention comprises a feed water heater of the open type in which the heater unit and the pumping unit may be independent, the former being a horizontal type with a heating chamber and a compensating chamber connected to permit flow of excess water from the heating chamber into the compensating chamber from which it returns to the water supply. The heater also embodies means utilizing a part of the exhaust steam from the engine wl ich operates or drives the pumps of the feed water heater for regulating the water level in the heating chamber and forcing excess water therefrom into the compensatin chamber as well as means for controlling he flow of steam into the heating chamber; means to permit the escape of air and vapors from the compensating chamber and also means to prevent water to be heated from bein sprayed into the steam inlet of the heating chamber.

lVith these objects in View, the invention consists in various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first decribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a feed water heater of the preferred form embodying the invention, and the features forming the invent-ion will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a locomotive showing the improved feed water heater applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view partly in section of the feed water heater and its various connections.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the heating unit.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the heating unit taken on the line 41-4: of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the heating unit taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the improved feed Water heater comprises the pumping unit 1 which is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings as placed in a horizontal position on the runway 2 of the locomotive A. The pumping unit 1 comprises the pumping end 3 including a cold water cylinder and a hot water cylinder and steam or engine end at, as is usual in the construction of steam operated displacement pumps. The pumping machanism 1 receives the cold water from a suitable supply, such as the tender C of the locomotive through the pipe 5 and discharges it through the pipe 6 into the heating unit 7 and it takes the hot water from the heating unit 7 through the pipe 8 and discharges it into the boiler of the locomotive through the pipe 9. The engine end 4 of the pump re ceives its operating steam from any suit-able source through the pipe 10 and its exhaust is through the pipe 11. Part of the exhaust steam from the engine 4 of the pump may be delivered through the pipe 11 and chamber 12 into the heating chamber 13 of the heating unit 7. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings an oil separator 14 is provided to separate oil from the steam prior to its entrance into the heating chamber 13.

The cold water pumped from the tender by the pumping unit 3 is discharged through the pipe 6 into the chamber 15 of the heating unit 7 and passes from the chamber 15 through the sprayer 16 into the heating chamber 13 Where it is heated by steam, preferably the exhaust steam from the cylinders D of the locomotive A. The steam utilized for heating the water in the chamber 13 enters the heating unit 7 through the valved connection 18, chamber 19 and steam guiding sleeve 20. The steam entering the heating chamber 13 contacts with the cold water sprayed into the chamber resulting in the condensation of the steam and the heating of the water and such mingled heated water and condensate is drawn ofif from the heating chamber through the hot water outlets 21 and pipe 8 by the pumping unit 1, being discharged therefrom into the boiler of the locomotive.

Owing to the relative position of the outlet of the sleeve and sprayer 16, a spray plate or bafiie 22 is provided which prevents the cold water from being sprayed into the sleeve 20. The housing 22 in which the heating chamber 13 is formed is provided with a transverse partition 23 which divides the in terior of the housing into the chamber 13 and the compensating chamber 24 which is provided for receiving excess water from the heating chamber 13. Under certain conditions, such as instances where the pumps of the feed water heater are creeping or operating slowly, when no steam is being delivered to the chamber 13, and various other conditions which arise during the operation of the heater, the water risesin the heating chamber 13 above the desired level and unless such excess water is taken care of, it will flow through the tube 20 and otherwise afifect the eiiicient operation of the heater or provide undesirable results and it is for the purpose oftaking care of thisexcess water that the compensating chamber 24 is provided. Communication between the heating chamber 13 and the compensating chamber 24 is had through the tube 25 which is positioned at the proper distance from the bottom of the heating chamber for maintaining the desired or proper water level in the heating chamber. A steam ejector 26 is provided which has a water inlet opening 27 opening into the heating chamber 13 and the ejector 26 discharges into the tube 25 so that when the water level within the heating, chamber 13 reaches or passes the opening 27 any excess water above the normal water level in the heating chamber, which is determined by the height of the opening 27, will be picked up by the ejector and forced into the compensating chamber 24. The steam ejector 26 receives its operating supply of steam through the branch pipe 28 which is connected to the pipe 11 and therefore, the ejector is operated by a part of the exhaust steam from the engine 4 of the pumping unit. 7

It will be appreciated that steam or vapor,

and a certain quantity of air will enter the compensating chamber 24 with the water and to provide for the escape of such steam and air the compensating chamber has an air outlet 29 which discharges to the atmosphere. The excess water which is forced into the compensating chamber 24 and the condensate which collects therein due to condensation of the steam entering the compensating chamber either through the tube 25 or the opening 30 passes by gravity through the outlet 31 and pipe 32 to the mixing chamber 33. The mixing chamber 33 also receives the cold water from the tender C or other suitable supply source and it will thereforebe noted that the excess water will mix with the incoming cold water to be returned to the heating imit 7 through the pumping mechanism 3.

An oil separator 34 is positioned in the inlet for the exhaust of heating steam to the heating chamber 13 for the purpose of separating oil from the incoming steam and the said oil is drained from the chamber 19 through the suitable drain 35.

In order to control the passage of the heating steam into the heating chamber 13 a valve 36, preferably of the butterfly type is p0sitioned in the steam inlet and this butterfly valve is connected by means of a gear 37 with a rack 38 which is movable longitudinally in a cylinder 39 and has pistons 40 thereon. The movement of the pistons 40 and consequently of the valve 36 is controlled by steam through a suitable pipe 42. The pipe 42 is connected to the steam supply of the cylinders D of the locomotive in such manner that when the supply of steam of the cylinders D is cut off, steam will be released from the steam valve gear 41 for operating the rack 38 to close the valve 36 and close connection 18 to the heating chamber 13 and when steam is admitted to the cylinders D of the locomotive the valve 36 will be operated to open the passageway and permit steam to enter the heating chamber 13. A pressure relief valve 44 is provided which closes a relief or drain opening 45 in the chamber 19. The relief valve 44 is operated by a spring tensioned piston structure 46 which receives operating steam for maintaining the valve 744 closed, during the passage of steam to the locomotive cylinders. The cylinder 47 in which the piston 46 is mounted receives its steam supply through a branch pipe 48 which is connected to the pipe 42. When the supply of steam to the locomotive cylinders is cut oil the spring 49 acts to open the valve 44 and permit the escape of steam, water or the like from the chamber 19 through the outlet 50 to atmosphere.

Summing up, the operation of the improved feed water heater is generically as follows:

The water to be heated is drawn from the tender 0 or other suitable supply source through the mixing chamber 33 by the pump structure 3 and discharged in fine streams or spray into the heatin chamber 13 where it mingles with steam which is delivered to the heating chamber 13 through the sleeve and is preferably exhaust steam from the cylinders D of the locomotive. Ihis steam is delivered from the locomotive cylinders through any suitable type of connection as indicated at and any Oll is separated from the steam prior to its entrance in the heating chamber 15 by an oil separator 34. The heated water and condensate is drawn from the heating chamber 13 through the pipe 8 by the pump structure 8 while the water level in the heating chamber is regulated by the action of the ejector 26 Which forces any excess water into the compensating chamber 24 from which it passes to the mixing chamber 33 and is returned to the heater.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that these may be modified Widely within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is z 1. In afeed water heater, a heating chamber, a pump for forcing water into said chamher, an engine for operating said pump, and an ejector utilizing exhaust steam from said engine for regulating the water level in the chamber.

2. In a feed Water heater, a heating chamber, a pump for forcing water into said chamber, an engine for operating said pump, a compensating chamber, and an ejector utilizing exhaust steam from said engine for.

forcing water above a pre-determined level from the heating chamber into the compensating chamber.

3. In a feed Water heater, a heating chamber, a pump for forcing water into said cham ber, an engine for operating said pump, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, a valve for controlling the flow of steam into the heating chamber, an ejector operating by exhaust steam from said engine for regulating the water level in the heating chamber, and an inlet to said heating chamber for exhaust steam from said engine located to permit the engine to exhaust into the chamber and maintain steam pressure therein when the inlet of steam through said steam inlet pipe is cut off.

4. In a feed water heater, a casing having a partition therein dividing the casing into a heating chamber and a compensating chamber for receiving excess Water from the heating chamber, a water supply communication between said chambers, a steam pump for supplying Water to said heating chamber and an ejector operated by exhaust steam from said pump for forcing water from the heating chamber through said communication into said compensating chamber.

5. In a feed Water heater, a casing hav ng a partition therein dividing the casing into the heating chamber and a compensating chamber for receiving excess Water from the heating chamber, a water inlet and a steam inlet for said heating chamber, a steam pump for supplying water to said heating chamber, a baflie located to prevent water entering the heating chamber from entering the steam inlet, and means operated by exhaust steam from said pump for forcing water above a predetermined level in the heating chamber mto the compensating chamber.

6. In a feed water heater, a heating chamber for receiving steam and water, a steam pump for supplying Water to said chamber, and means operated by exhaust steam from said pump for regulating the Water level in said chamber.

7. In a feed water heater, a heating chamber, a steam pump for supplying water to said chamber, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, a valve for controlling the flow of steam into the heating chamber, and an inlet to said heating chamber for exhaust steam from said steam pump to permit the pump to exhaust into the chamber and maintain steam pressure therein when the inlet of steam through said steam inlet pipe is cut off.

8. In a feed water heater, a heating chamber, a steam pump for supplying Water to said chamber, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, a valve for controlling the flow of steam into the heating chamber, and an inlet to said heating chamber for exhaust steam from said steam pump to permit the pump to exhaust into the chamber and maintain steam pressure therein when the inlet Of steam through said steam inlet pipe is cut off, and means operated by exhaust steam from said steam pump for maintaining a predetermined water level in said heating chamber.

9. In a feed water heater, a heating chamher, a steam pump for supplying water to said chamber, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, and an inlet to said heating chamber for exhaust steam from said steam pump located to permit the pump to exhaust into the chamber and maintain steam pressure therein when the inlet of steam through said inlet pipe is arrested.

10. In a feed water heater, a heating chamber, a steam pump for supplying water to said chamber, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, a compensating chamber, an inlet to the heating chamber for exhaust steam from the steam pump located to permit the pump to exhaust into the heating chamher and maintain steam pressure therein when the inlet of steam through said steam inlet pipe is cut off, and a steam ejector for forcing excess water from said heating cham ber into said compensating chamber.

11. In a feed water heater, a heating chamber, a steam pump for supplying Water to said chamber, an inlet pipe for steam into the heating chamber, a compensating chamber, an inlet to the heating chamber for exhaust steam from the steam pump located to permit the pump to exhaust into the chamber and maintain steam pressure therein When the inlet of steam through said steam inlet pipe is cut off, and means operated by exhaust steam from said steam pump for forcing,ex'- cess Water from the heating chamber into the compensating chamber.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL DUGELAY. 

